 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1967-01-13)January 13, 1967 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died | October 13, 2007(2007-10-13) (aged 40) Gulf Breeze, Florida, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) |
| Listed weight | 230 lb (104 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Roswell (Roswell, Georgia) |
| College | Georgia (1986–1990) |
| NBA draft | 1990: 1st round, 12th overall pick |
| Selected by theHouston Rockets | |
| Playing career | 1990–1994 |
| Position | Power forward /center |
| Number | 33 |
| Career history | |
| 1990–1994 | Miami Heat |
| 1994 | Olimpia Stefanel Milano |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 1,084 (5.2 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 751 (3.6 rpg) |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Alec Christopher Kessler (January 13, 1967 – October 13, 2007) was an Americancollege basketball player for theUniversity of Georgia and later, as a professional, for theMiami Heat in theNational Basketball Association (NBA) and in theItalian league forOlimpia Stefanel Milano.[1] After his basketball career ended, he became anorthopedic surgeon.
Kessler played collegiately for the University of GeorgiaBulldogs, where he was a three-time academic all-American first-team selection as well as the national academic all-American of the year in 1989 and 1990.[2] Kessler left Georgia as the school's all-time leading scorer with 1,788 points (until the record was surpassed byLitterial Green[3]).
The 6'11"power forward/center was selected 12th in the1990 NBA draft by theHouston Rockets, but his draft rights were immediately traded to theMiami Heat in exchange for the draft rights toDave Jamerson andCarl Herrera.[4]
Kessler made some news during the 1991 NBA Playoffs when he went missing for days in the Bahamas while checking on honeymoon spots with his fiancé. He had failed to check in with family members and it prompted a two-day search until he was found safe.[5]
In his NBA career, he was a member of the Miami Heat for 210 games spanning four seasons until being waived on November 2, 1994, prior to the start of the1994–95 season.[6] He was played mostly as a backup center and held career averages of 5.2 points and 3.6rebounds per game. He was still receiving $300,000 per annum from the Heat ten years after being cut.[1] He would be the last Miami Heat player to wear #33 before the arrival ofAlonzo Mourning, whom it was later retired in honor of.
After leaving the NBA, Kessler attendedmedical school atEmory University, graduating in 1999. He was an orthopedic surgeon in practice inPensacola, Florida.[7]
Kessler died after suffering aheart attack during a pick-up basketball game inGulf Breeze, Florida on October 13, 2007.[7] He was survived by his wife, Rhea, and two sons, Nickolas and Christopher.[7]
Kessler's brother, Chad, also played for theGeorgia Bulldogs basketball team.[8] Chad was drafted by theLos Angeles Clippers in the 5th round of the1987 NBA draft, but was cut in the pre-season.[9] Chad's son, Houston Kessler, signed a letter of intent to play for the Bulldogs in the 2012–13 season.[3] Chad's other sonWalker plays for theUtah Jazz.